The Indian cricket team's shocking 0-2 defeat to South Africa in the recently concluded red-ball series has sent shockwaves through the squad.
Earlier this week, South Africa gave India a record Test defeat by runs, against all odds. It was the Proteas' first series win in India in a quarter-century and the host nation's second home series loss in just a year after a 12-year invincible streak.
The momentum established in the previous half-year has almost disappeared and the futures of multiple squad members - as well as head mentor Gautam Gambhir - are under scrutiny.
A Promising Start Vanishes
The emerging side's strong showing in England this season, under a different skipper, suggested a successful handover following the close together exits of key players Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Kohli.
A straightforward 2-0 triumph over West Indies at the start of the home season enhanced that perception, until the Proteas turned up and handed out a devastating defeat.
India were a bit unlucky that captain Gill suffered an injury quickly in the initial match and did not participate again in the series. But that does not excuse or justify the squad of the terribly sub-par display in each match against the opposition.
Several established players suffered, and multiple individuals hoping for lengthy Test careers were exposed as not yet good enough - in ability or temperament - for the longer format.
A Troubling Pattern
This was the second clean sweep at home suffered by India in just more than a year. Last year, little-fancied New Zealand had achieved a surprising 3-0 triumph which effectively cost India a berth in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
The latest loss to the Proteas risks harming India's prospects of reaching the decider of this cycle as well.
After being third in the WTC table ahead of the matches, the side have dropped to number five. Though nine more Tests are still to come, half of these are against Australia. Ordinarily, performing in familiar conditions would be a significant benefit - even when facing the mighty Aussies. But the disasters against the Kiwis and the Proteas provide no basis for such assurance.
Roots of the Decline
The national team's frailty in red-ball cricket has been significantly highlighted. That said, why the team have fared so badly in Test matches at home recently is continues to confuse.
From the year 2000 onwards, the Indian cricket team were seen as invincible in Test cricket at home. In hot, humid conditions and on surfaces that favored spin bowling and benefited their players, the hosts brooked no opposition. A rare failure, like in the 2012-13 season against England, was viewed as an anomaly.
Now, the team seem vulnerable on home turf.
Versus New Zealand in last year and the Proteas this year, India were defeated by their own tactics. The tracks they developed to help their style backfired spectacularly, as opponents exploited them better, surpassing India's batsmen and bowlers when it mattered most.
What Happened?
Certain analysts propose that the Indian team is struggling at home because local wickets have been altered from spinning tracks to fast tracks to prepare players to succeed in foreign conditions.
Others highlight that the IPL, in which numerous foreign cricketers participate, has reduced the unfamiliarity and challenge Indian conditions would pose to them in the past.
Although there is some truth in both analyses, it still does not explain why India's performances on home soil have experienced such a staggering decline.
Various Shortcomings
Most former players identify a complex, multi-headed problem, not only a couple of reasons.
Experts and participants have identified multiple deficiencies post India's humiliating loss to the South Africans: not respecting the foe, inadequate readiness, poor choices, excessive self-belief, frequent changes of the playing XI, and favoring limited-overs over the longer format.
This was obvious in the displays of the side.
Players like Pant and Yashasvi Jaiswal, of whom great things were anticipated, were punished for their nonchalance, while Sudarshan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Dhruv Jurel - who were looking to cement their position in the squad - were found wanting in technique and temperament, suffering the consequences for their lackadaisical method.
A small number - Jadeja, Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Sundar - did justice to their skill and fame - but not sufficiently to win matches.
Leadership Under Fire
The analysis targeted the entire setup - selectors and backroom team were also criticized, fuelled by distraught fans and vocal past stars. In the spotlight of the criticism was team coach Gambhir.
In his post-series press
